Data Speaks, But How? - The Role of the Medium in Data Storytelling
Author
Nagel, Tamara
Term
4. term
Publication year
2025
Submitted on
2025-05-29
Pages
130
Abstract
Despite growing interest in data storytelling, it remains unclear which communication medium, verbal or written, is most effective in helping people recall and act on data, particularly for those with limited data literacy. This matters especially in times of crisis, where poor data interpretation can lead to harmful real-world consequences. This thesis presents an experimental, longitudinal study comparing the effects of verbal, written, and no storytelling, each using simple graphs and an author-driven narrative on recall and attitude change over time. Results show that while storytelling did not enhance recall, verbal storytelling and no storytelling led to long-term attitude change, unlike written storytelling. Higher data literacy improved long-term recall but initially reduced attitude change, an effect that diminished over time. These findings challenge assumptions about the universal benefits of storytelling, highlighting that author-driven narratives are not equally effective across mediums. The study contributes empirical evidence to the field and calls for further research into how narrative formats, graph complexity, and real-world settings influence the effectiveness of data storytelling.
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